DESIGN PROCESS
Good design is a ‘process’, not a ‘style’. It is the result of careful and detailed interaction between a client and the design professional. It also involves teamwork. I am of the firm belief that the best projects are the result of a ‘team’ approach by a group of professionals working with an owner, all with the common goal of creating the best design solution for that owner.
The design process usually starts with a site visit to create a ‘determinants’ study, and a detailed discussion with the client to understand their vision for the project with the intent of creating a ‘verbal picture’ of what the owner would like to accomplish on their site. Following this discussion, a conceptual organization of the components is created and overlaid on the site. Several of these ‘bubble diagrams’ may be created during this phase until the various components fall into place. When done well, this ‘bubble diagram’ forms the foundation for the design concept and sets the stage for the balance of the design process. From this, a preliminary floor plan starts to evolve followed by the site plan, elevations, and the roof plan. The owner is very much involved throughout this phase of the process and is the central member of the design team.
If the owner would like to have an interior designer or other specialty consultant on the team, this point in the design process is a good time to get them involved. As the process evolves and the design begins to develop, changes and modifications are incorporated into the project. This is also a good time to bring a builder on board as a team member. A good builder can provide preliminary cost estimating at this stage of the process.
When the preliminary design is fairly well thought out, we usually start a model. A model gives the owner an opportunity to see the project in 3D. I prefer to use the model as a design tool, not just as a presentation piece for a design review submittal. Consequently, the final design analysis usually occurs with the model and any adjustments are done on the model first and then translated to the preliminary design drawings. When this stage of the process is complete, the owner should have a pretty good understanding of what their new home is going to be like.
After any required design review approvals are obtained, the next step is the creation of the construction documents. These are by nature fairly technical and involve the coordination of many consultants such as the structural, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineers, and any other consultants needed to satisfy the owner’s requirements. The construction documents are the ‘directions’ for the builder to construct the design. As a general rule, the more complete and accurate the set of documents are, the more cost efficient the project will be.
The design process doesn’t end with the start of construction. When the construction begins, we normally visit the site every few weeks as the owner’s representative and to help with clarifications and decisions that arise during the course of construction.
“Two stone cutters were asked what they were doing. The first said, “I’m cutting this stone into blocks.” The second replied, “I’m on a team that’s building a cathedral.”
~ Old Story